The decision to homeschool is never one that is taken lightly. Thinking ahead will prepare you for the transitions.
Legal Requirements for Homeschooling
Have you fulfilled the legal requirements for homeschooling in your area? Be sure to research what (if anything) must be done to homeschool in your locality. This can vary from simply reporting that you are homeschooling to filling out forms and submitting test results. If you choose not to comply, check out your legal alternatives. For more information, search for your state, provincial or national homeschooling organization.
Choose a Homeschooling Approach
Do you feel comfortable with the homeschooling approach that you have chosen?In the beginning, some parents seem to gravitate to the "school at home" model because it feels safe. It rarely works well in a home situation, though. Be sure to check out many of the options : Classical homeschooling, Charlotte Mason nature studies, unschooling, unit studies, lapbooking, etc. Remember that what works well one year may need to be altered as your children mature. Be creative in your approach, and change it as needed.
Join the Homeschool Community
Have you taken any steps toward joining the homeschool community, both in your town and on the web? There are many groups for homeschooling available. Again, a web search will turn up many resources. Be sure to look for online support groups and check on your locality's homeschool websites. They can be invaluable. Many areas have homeschooling groups that meet regularly and even have classes for kids.
Find Local Learning Experiences
Have you surveyed your area for potential learning experiences? Fire station, post office, zoo...and public library activities, college outreach programs, local children's sports programs, scouting, homeschool group activities, etc.
Check the Internet for Useful Sites
Have you checked the Internet for useful sites? Search for the subject that you are studying, followed by terms such as "K-3" or "lessons". It is possible to have an entire curriculum come from the Internet this way. There are numerous textbooks available online for free, and there are games to practice nearly any skill. It is just as educational to play a multiplication Flash game as it is to do a worksheet, and your child will probably learn faster because they are interested. The Internet also has millions of worksheets for free.
Get Your Kids on Board
Are Your Kids On Board? Make sure that they meet a few homeschooled kids before the switch, if possible. Try to help them keep in contact with the kids that they knew in school, if they attended. Be sure to discuss educational choices with them as you choose curricula and plan lessons. Help them understand what you are dong and why. It may help to write a formal Family Mission Statement to solidify your educational and moral homeschooling goals.
Block Less-than-Worthy Television Channels
Have you blocked less-than-worthy television channels, if you can? The good is the enemy of the best. This means that wasting time watching cartoons or silly pre-teen sit-coms can be a fun occasional event, but probably shouldn't be part of your children's regular mental diet. Block those stations if you can, and steer the kids toward Mythbusters or the History Channel.
Up-to-Date Library Card
Is your library card up-to-date? You'll need it. It may wear out long before the expected time. Be prepared to become good friends with the librarians, too.
Be Flexible with Teaching Methods
Are you prepared to be flexible? Inevitably, some things will work well, and others won't. That's normal. What works well for one child may not get through at all to another. Don't allow yourself to get too emotionally attached to a certain routine or approach. It will change!
Give Traditional School Children Time to Decompress
If your children were in a traditional school, have you given them some time to decompress? This can make a major difference in their attitude towards academic work. Allow a few months at least to get the experiences out of their systems. Go on field trips, take instrument lessons, have family read-alouds, write stories together, but leave the formal bookwork alone for a bit.
By thinking through a few of the common issues before the transition, you may have a happier homeschooling experience. Spend a bit of time looking at your options. You'll be glad you did.
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